Morning journal and courier., 1887-05-26
WEST END PARK.

The Hoard of Compensation Resume
 the Hearing on the West End Park
 Many and Varying Opinions GiveI
 as to the Value of Land on the OIt | Town Farm-Some of the Trustee
 Think $25 a Foot a Fair Marke
 FxIce.
 The board of compensation held largel. attended meeting in the committee room a the City Hall last evening" The hearing ol the, West End Park was resumed. Attorne. Hugh Daley was the first person heard. HI I was of the opinion that the land in question I was worth about $20 running foot. Ther' I would be no question, said he, but the valu' ] of the property surrounding the park would go up. It would more than double in shor ! while. You establish the park and from I three to five years the loss of the land whicl | makes up the park would be more than re deemed by the rise in the value of the sur ! rounding property.
 Ex-Governor Ingersoll, counsel for the l trustees of the old town farm, instanced to MT. Daley the property adjoining several public squares in the city where the property had not increased in value. Attorney Daley said it might all be true, but he in turn instanced Central Park where
  but it now takes $500, 900 or more to pur- chase acre in the vicinity. Edward Mersick, 8 representative for himself and ex-Governor Bigelow, was the next to testify. Both gentlemen own prop erty in the vicinity of the new park. He thought from $10 to $15 running foot 8 fair market value for front foot on Martin street.
 The next person heard was R. V. Searles who has resided in the vicinity of the new park for fifteen years. If the land was cut into building lots and sold in the market he thought it would bring from $S to $10 to $15 per foot. He would give double for a lot fronting the park than any surrounding property.
 Linas Mead said he wouldn't care to give more than $8 or $10 per foot for the land in it's present condition.
 Mr. Burton Dickerman, of Westville, was of the opinion that the tract of land in ques- ton was worth from $15 to $25 per foot.
 F. H. Coggswell, the court stenographer, thought that financially 8 park in that dis trict would not be of any benefit to surround ing land. It would only benefit land facing.
 Councilman Minott Chatfeld testified that he thought the land in the upper part of the proposed park not worth over $5 per foot. If there were shade trees it would be worth twice that amount.
 R. F. Lyon, of West Chapel street, thought $5 or $6 per foot enough. Attorney Ham ilton, who appeared for property owners in that vicinity, had several other witnesses whom he expected to appear, but they were unable to be present.
 Ex-Governor Ingersoll then had his testi- mony put in. Judge Morris, one of the old town farm trustees, was the first to testify. In his opinion the market value of the land as it now stands was worth $25 per front foot. He had figured it all out previous to coming and cut up the land into lots of 150 feet front. He gave the value of the whole property at $5O,275 He said he had sold land opposite the Orchard street park and he could not get dollar more for it than for any other land about there. He said the town farm land was in high state of eulti vation and lay between two horse railroads. He thought the laying out of the park would injure rather than be of advantage to adja- cent land.
 Selectman Cooper said he knew of land that was sold for $22 in that vicinity.
 F. s. Andrew had an impression that the land in several of the surrounding blocks was worth about $22 foot.
 Real Estate Agent Sloan said that many lots up that way were worth from $20 to $25.
 Harmanus M. Welch was of the opinion that S25 ger foot was fair market price. He coincided fully with the testimony of Judge Morris
 MT Beecher, of WestvilIe, said that he es- timated the land to be worth from $5 to $25.
 The committee at 10:30 adjourned without date